Visas and Requirements for a trip to Colombia

In this post, we detail all the important Requirements you need to know before traveling to Colombia.

These are the little details that make the difference between a successful trip and a failed one, because you forgot to renew your passport or didn’t find out about the obligation to provide temporary proof of exit from the country.

As you prepare for your trip to Colombia, here are the important administrative questions to know before you go.

Covid obligations

Entry Requirements in Colombia

No need to be vaccinated

Currently, anyone (vaccinated or not) can travel to Colombia, without restrictions.
As of April 05, 2023, negative tests or vaccination certificates are no longer required.

Obligation: Check-Mig / Immigration pre-registration

Obligation to complete pre-registration for Colombian immigration (Check-Mig) to facilitate customs clearance. This form must be completed 72h to 1h before flight closing time.

Requirements for a trip to Colombia

Entry Requirements for tourists in Colombia

Entry Requirements in Colombia for nationals not requiring a visa

To enter Colombia legally for a temporary stay related to tourism, nationals of countries not requiring a visa must be in possession of :

• Passport valid for more than 6 months from the date of departure from Colombia
• Check-Mig : Compulsory pre-registration pre-registration with Colombian immigration (Check-Mig) to facilitate customs clearance. This form must be completed 72h to 1h before flight closing time.
• Round-trip plane ticket, or any other document proving a planned date of departure from Colombia. You can use the Onward Ticket website to obtain a temporary flight reservation.
• For accompanied minors: passport valid for more than 6 months. More information on the government website.
• For unaccompanied minors: passport valid for more than 6 months, authorization to leave the country signed by the person with parental authority, photocopy of the parent’s ID. More info on the government website

Maximum length of stay

Upon entry into Colombia, a stamp will be placed in your passport proving the date of entry into Colombia and marking the start of your “tourist visa”, which is called the PIP (Permiso de Ingreso y Permanencia).

Risks of staying in Colombia without authorization

Be sure to respect the duration of your stay and anticipate any request for an extension (see below), otherwise you run the risk of being fined up to several hundred euros, depending on the goodwill of the Colombian authorities.

Exit tax

If you are staying in Colombia for more than 60 days, you may be asked to pay an exit tax at the airport when you check in your luggage. This tax must be paid at the airport counter (cash or credit card).

Planning to drive in Colombia?

The Colombian government certifies that tourists can drive with a national license (Código Nacional de Tránsito, Art. 25 de la Ley 769 de 2002 – Licencias Extranjeras)

“Driving licenses issued in another country, in force and used by tourists or persons in transit on national territory, are valid and admitted to drive in Colombia during the authorized stay of their holder, in accordance with international provisions on the subject.”

Visa-free countries for travel to Colombia

Nationals of the following countries do not need a visa to enter Colombia as tourists: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Bhutan, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, South Korea, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Grenada, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Solomon Islands, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Dominican Republic, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Samoa, El Salvador, San Marino, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Suriname, Czech Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Countries requiring a visa to travel to Colombia

Nationals of the following countries require a visa to enter Colombia as tourists: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Bahrain, Benin, Belarus, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cameroon, China, Comoros, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, India, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lesotho, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Mauritania, Moldova, Mongolia, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Oman, Central African Republic, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Swaziland, Thailand, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Chad, East Timor, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Extending your stay in Colombia

VISAS AND Requirements FOR A TRIP TO COLOMBIA

Requirements for obtaining the PTP and extending your stay by 90 days

It is therefore possible to extend your stay in Colombia by a further 90 days, for a total of 180 days over a calendar year. In other words, you potentially have the right to stay in Colombia for 180 days a year. This visa is called the PTP (Permiso Temporal de Permanencia), and you need to apply for it online.

• Online application for extension: you can apply for a PTP online on the Colombian Immigration Ministry website.
• In-office application: you can also apply for a PTP at any Migration Service Center (known as a FMC). It is advisable to make an appointment in advance. You’ll find a list of FMCs by region here.
• Fee: $110.000 COP (Free for nationals of the Schengen area in Europe)
• Valid passport : you must present your passport, valid for at least 6 months after the planned end date of your stay.
• Transport ticket: you must present a transport ticket proving your planned departure from the country. You can use the Onward Ticket website to obtain a temporary flight reservation.

Requirements for obtaining a 30-day “Salvo Conducto”

If you need more time to organize the extension of your stay in Colombia, or if you simply wish to extend your trip by a maximum of 30 days, you can apply for a Salvo Conduction, based on the same principle as the PTP.

• Apply online: apply for a “Salvo Conducto” online on the Colombian Immigration Ministry website.
• Go to the immigration office: once you’ve applied for the “Salvo Conducto” online, you’ll need to go to the nearest Migration Service Center (known as a CFSM) to finalize your application with the original documents listed below. It is advisable to make an appointment in advance. You’ll find a list of FMCs by region here.
• Fee: $74.000 COP
• Valid passport : you must present a passport valid for at least 6 months after the planned end date of your stay.
• Proof of exit from the country : you will need to present a ticket proving your planned exit from the country. You can use the Onward Ticket website to obtain a temporary flight reservation.

Leaving Colombia

VISAS AND Requirements FOR A TRIP TO COLOMBIA

As you can see, to enter Colombia or extend your stay in the country, you must have proof of your planned departure from the country. Without this document, you could be refused entry at the airport when boarding, or at customs on arrival in Colombia.

How to obtain proof of exit from the country

For most of you, this won’t be a problem, as you’ll have a round-trip plane ticket! However, some travelers may have taken a one-way ticket to Colombia, in order to remain free for the duration of their trip, or to continue on to another country.

You have two options:

• Buy a bus ticket to Ecuador online, but the cheapest route we found is Ipiales – Ibarra for $71 USD via “Andes transit”.
• In principle, using Onward Tickets is THE best way to avoid problems at a lower cost. It’s a solution which, according to feedback from travellers, works perfectly, remains legal and requires only a minimal investment compared to the risk incurred in the event of an inspection.

Is it risky not to have proof of exit?

Knowing that checks are not systematic, some people may be tempted to take the plunge and leave the country without proof of exit. Since proof of exit is required to enter or remain in Colombia, all travelers must be able to show proof of exit to the authorities at any time during their stay in the country. The risk is therefore manifold:

• Being turned away at boarding and losing your ticket
• Being turned away on arrival in Colombia, or having to pay for an emergency exit ticket
• Being forbidden to extend your stay in Colombia, or having to urgently pay for an exit ticket

Exit tax

If you are staying in Colombia for more than 60 days, you may be asked to pay an exit tax at the airport when you check in your luggage. This tax must be paid at the airport counter (cash or credit card).

Working Holiday Visa (WHV)

VISAS AND Requirements FOR A TRIP TO COLOMBIA

In force since 2015, Working Holiday Visa is a very attractive option for young people aged 18 to 30. This visa allows them to stay in Colombia for up to 1 year, and be able to work there to complete the financing of their trip.

It is valid for one year and is non-renewable. The procedure for this visa is relatively quick and straightforward.

To apply for a Working Holiday Visa, go online to the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Then you need to contact the Colombian Consulate in Paris to request an appointment to bring your file in person. Find out more about the Colombian Consulate.

For more information on this visa, please visit Working-holiday-visas.com, which gives you all the information you need on this particular procedure.